suicide

In these early weeks after publication, it is nice to talk to a few reviewers about the book. Here are some of the questions I’ve been answering.

Why did you write it?

Because I felt I had something to say, about our attitudes to mental illness, and about suicide and abuse. I wanted to speak directly to those who devote their lives to public service. I also wrote it for a bit of catharsis. I haven’t had a work dream since I finished it, so that plan seems to be working – so far…

Is there still stigma about mental illness?

You bet there is. It will take more than a few people in the public eye talking about their own experiences to rid us of that terrible stigma. It manifests itself in the way people who are mentally ill are portrayed in the media, although have seen some progress. But more in how society (including government, who are elected by the people and in effect do their bidding) treats people who experience mental illness. There is unfair discrimination in access to decent housing, welfare benefits, support in finding meaningful employment, and to timely, compassionate, effective health care. Here in the UK, people with the most severe forms of mental illness die on average 20 years earlier than the general population. That should be a national scandal. The fact that it isn’t seems to me to be cast-iron evidence of the stigma that still exists.

Why did you decide to come out about your own experiences of anxiety and depression, having kept quiet for 58 years?

Until I was in my early forties, I wouldn’t have described my experiences as that. My self-stigma was so great that I viewed my inability at times to face the world, simply as personal weakness or flaws in my character. And then, once I began to accept my experiences for what they really were, I felt that talking about them would be self-indulgent, given the good luck I seem to have had with my family, friends, education, home and job.

This is something that people like me must always look out for. When I had my last major depression and was huddled in the dark wanting to be dead, I didn’t have to worry about being made homeless, having no money and getting no treatment or support. So I should watch my privilege.

What is your biggest regret?

Probably not dealing with all the above sooner, so that I could have used my understanding to help tackle the stigma that mental health services experienced throughout my 13 years of being in a position of influence. In fact, cuts to services are increasing as I write this, despite all the government rhetoric.

As well as being cruel, this is a false economy. Most mental illnesses start when we are young. If young people get the right advice and treatment straight away, the chances are they will be able to resume their education and personal lives fairly quickly, growing up to become full participants and contributors to society. It doesn’t mean they will necessarily be cured, but it does mean that the disabling impacts of mental illness will be avoided or kept to a minimum. Imagine if we said to people with cancer, look, your tumour isn’t causing you enough problems yet. Go away and manage it yourself and only come back when you are dangerously ill. There would be an outcry.

But just having regrets is wasted energy. So I’m doing what I can, writing blogs like this, talking about it to anyone who will listen, and using the book as an introduction to a having a different sort of conversation.

What are you writing now?

A novel set in a choir school. It is half done but I am trying to concentrate on it properly now. When writing fiction, you need to let the creative juices run, which for me means starting to write as soon as I wake up. Some days I am in still in my PJs at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. At least that’s my excuse!

On Friday 29th September, I approached Towards Zero Suicide, a Healthcare Conference UK event, with trepidation. As a conference chair, you need to be on top of your game – or least appear to be. And I hadn’t been at my best for the past month or so (hence the absence of blogs). No trigger this time, just lower than usual confidence and mood, disturbed sleep, horrid dreams and heightened anxiety. Despite all the good advice I write about here, my tendency is still to plough on through this stuff until it goes away of its own accord or bubbles up into something worse.

But this time I confided in a friend, who had already guessed I wasn’t OK. This led to me ‘fessing up to those closest to me and my GP, and then doing what was necessary to gradually get back on track. And I’m getting there. I cancelled a few things but this conference seemed too important, and anyway, I am the sort of person who needs the buzz that comes from intellectual stimulation and being in the spotlight.

There was another reason for feeling nervous. As someone who has experienced suicidal thoughts and feelings from time to time, and as a Samaritan (see my last blog), I have to admit to feeling conflicted about such an aim. I worry it could send a negative signal to those experiencing such feelings or who have lost someone to suicide.

But also I dedicate a considerable amount of my time these days trying to prevent suicide. This is why I had agreed to chair the conference, and why I thought carefully about how make the event respectful and supportive to all concerned, while also challenging the stigma and shame still associated with suicide.

En route, I did my own, unscientific, Twitter poll. Thank you if you participated. All I take from this is that I’m not the only one who started my day with mixed feelings about a laudable aim.

A tiny poll for my Twitter chums b4 I chair #ZeroSuicide conference today. Do you think the term "Zero Suicide" says

Some of us are more vulnerable than others to thoughts of suicide. But with enough stress and pressure, almost anyone will think about it.

Whether you have, as Sarah Hughes of the Centre for Mental Health described, made your peace with the term Zero Suicide, we can all embrace the hope behind the message. Because as Keith Waters of Derbyshire Health Care and the National Suicide Prevention Alliance reminded us, suicide is notinevitable.

The long history of suicide in our society helps us to understand the shame still associated with it. And we still need to tackle that shame, because ultimately it can kill.

There are no simple solutions to suicide prevention. It has to be locally relevant, dynamic and evolving. And it must involve everyone, from individuals to organisations, public and private. Those who traditionally resist engagement with suicide prevention strategies, such as coroners and the media, must be persuaded that they have a part to play.

While there are links to mental illness, most deaths by suicide are of people not in touch with mental health services. And yet suicide prevention is often seen as the sole responsibility of those working in mental health.

As Pippa Smith of British Transport Police said with such kindness and eloquence, a death by suicide is like no other. It touches not just those directly affected. And it can cause lasting damage.

Removing the means to carry out a suicide can save lives. But at the same time, if applied without sensitivity, it can also remove a person’s dignity, which may be the only thing they have left.

Mental health first aid is as effective as physical first aid. So why is in not mandatory in workplaces, universities, schools, hospitals, public spaces and across society? Including in mental health services, where staff sometimes lack the basic knowledge and skills to be effective in helping a suicidal person.

Too much emphasis is placed on risk assessment. As Alys Cole-King so brilliantly put it, you cannot accurately predict risk. It differs from person to person and changes moment by moment. Instead, clinicians need the latest evidence so they can assess the person rather than the risk, and provide treatment and care accordingly.

I loved Alys’ idea that when someone is suicidal, emergency services would ring ahead, as they do for major physical trauma cases. But instead of asking for the resuscitation room to be made ready, they would say “Please get the compassion room ready.”

NHS crisis services are being reduced to save money, causing damage to clients and staff. Why is this not a national outrage?

Third sector organisations such as Suicide Crisis, run by Jo Hibbens who spoke eloquently about the people they support and the lives they save, can be wonderful. But they need the safety net and professional support of statutory services. They are not a cheap alternative.

Suicide prevention apps as we heard from Iain Murray, Choose Life Co-ordinator in Aberdeenshire, can really help to save lives. I loved how he has marshalled such wide community support for this work. Here is a link to the Scottish app and also the Grassroots Suicide Prevention Stay Alive app which I have mentioned before.

It was good to be reminded of the physical and psychological determinants and consequences of mental crisis, and how we can all help ourselves and one another. Thank you Luke Sullivan – great job.

Mental health staff are experiencing increased stress at work, according to investigative work done by Radio 5 Live. Here’s me talking to Rachel Burden about why we cannot expect them to give compassionate care if they are not treated with compassion themselves (at 2:39:50). It seems so obvious, and yet…

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated so wisely and generously. I think you are all amazing.

PS I posted this blog on Sunday 1st October and in 24 hours have had many extremely kind messages. Yes, I really am ok. And thank you very much for asking xxx

Me and my friend Sally at the end of Ride 100 in 2016. Still laughing despite the pain.

People sometimes ask what I do these days. Here is a snapshot.

Today, I will be one of 12 Samaritan volunteers from the Brighton, Hove and District branch at TransPride. This is a community event for people from the trans community to come together and be themselves in a safe, supportive space. Samaritans know it can be an alienating and difficult experience for some people just to be who they are. We are there to listen, but also to talk about what we do, in case anyone is interested in volunteering with us. I am really looking forward to it.

On Monday, 24th July 2017, Samaritans will be at railway stations across the country encouraging people to listen to one another and to know they are not alone. Volunteers from our branch will be on Brighton, Hove and Haywards Heath Stations from 7 – 9 in the morning and 5 – 7 in the evening, handing out leaflets, talking to commuters but most of all, listening. This national series of events is part of the ongoing partnership between Samaritans and the rail industry. Next time you travel by train, if you turn over your ticket you might see one of our messages. Please also look out for our posters on every station. As they say, we are in your corner.

On 6th August, we will be on the road again, this time at Brighton Pride, a massive event celebrating all things LGBT. We will have a well-staffed stall to publicise what we do. And because we also know that supposedly joyous occasions can be unbearable for those who are feeling lonely or desperate, we will be there as well for those who need us.

I first learned about Samaritans aged 11 via an article in Readers Digest. I then read Monica Dickens’ novel The Listeners, based on her experiences of being a Samaritan volunteer in London soon after the charity started 64 years ago. Later, I read the collected short stories Is there Anyone There? edited by Monica Dickens and Rosemary Sutcliffe. And I called Samaritans once or twice, from a red telephone box like the one on the cover.

In my early twenties, I trained to be a Samaritan myself, and volunteered for a couple of years. I loved it. But I was economical with the truth about my own issues. While going through a particularly bad patch, I found I didn’t have enough to give. I should have told a senor Samaritan and taken time out. But instead I just left. I have felt bad about this ever since.

I think I always knew I would go back. But not that it would take quite so long. As I pedalled for 8 hours through Ride London 100 in 2015, raising money for Samaritans, I knew that the time had come. In January 2016, I booked myself into an information event at my local branch. And with support from amazing trainers and fellow trainees, I completed initial training, mentoring and probation and became a listening volunteer again.

What has changed in 38 years? More importantly, what remains?

New technology, of course. Emails and text calls, booking shifts and online recording. But still nothing beats listening to someone by phone or face-to-face. Nor being supported by a fellow Samaritan who somehow notices you’re having a tough call and offers you time to reflect. The equality between volunteers, new and experienced, lies at the heart of what we do. I’m so glad that hasn’t changed.

We had policies back in the day, but not like now. Over-reliance on them can have unintended consequences, stealing time, making people over-cautious and discouraging independent thinking. The policies we are asked to follow are designed to maintain high standards and keep everyone safe. And if they need to be changed, it is up to us to say why and how.

Training is more thorough nowadays – in 1978 selection and training happened over a weekend. But the focus on being there for distressed people hasn’t changed at all.

Once more, I find I get more than I give by being a Samaritan. I love the stillness and focus of the Ops Room. I am inspired by the courage of our callers and the humanity of my fellow Sams. It is lovely to be back.

It is true that not everyone has the capacity to be a Samaritan. You have to be able to set aside judgement and the humility to learn how to listen really carefully. But I truly believe that many more people could do it than probably realise. All it really takes is genuine love for other humans.

If you are interested in volunteering with us, either as a listener or a support volunteer, please take a look at this. We would be so pleased to hear from you.

​On Friday, mental health hero Professor Louis Appleby gave voice to the disquiet many of us have been feeling about the use of the term “suicide” in relation to the Manchester bombing. Overnight, we have learned of more atrocities around London Bridge and Vauxhall. Our hearts go out to all who are affected.

Now let us face facts. Taking one’s own life as a way of killing others is NOT suicide. It is multiple indiscriminate murder, even if those who do it have been callously brainwashed by others who view the lives of fellow humans as infinitely expendable.

After I had endorsed Louis’s comments via Twitter, I was challenged by Karen Machin @kmachin to use my influence to do better. I joked that she might be overestimating my potential impact, but I also remembered something.

When I retired from the NHS, I made a promise to others but mainly myself to use the connections I had developed to campaign for improvements for those needing help with their mental health. I do this as an ex-nurse and NHS leader but also someone with my own experiences of mental illness and occasional suicidal thoughts and feelings.

This time last year was not good for me. But not as bad as 2013, the year before I retired, during which I spent months ignoring my increasingly negative thoughts, growing ever more irrational and obsessed with unimportant details before finally breaking down, unable to speak or look other people in the eye because I was consumed by shame and self-hatred. I had no wish to remain alive. On the day things finally fell apart, I came close to crashing my car on purpose, but could not face hurting others because I knew it was only me who was a worthless piece of shit. I was luckily surrounded by love and exceptional care. And slowly, I came through.

Last year was more of a blip than a breakdown. A few things conspired to make me wobble. But at long last I have learned to spot my warning signs before it is too late – disturbed sleep, unexpected tears, irrational thoughts, heightened anxiety, self loathing and suicidal feelings. Fleeting, but suicidal nonetheless. Asking for help will always be difficult for me, because when I am not at my best, I feel that that my place is to help others and to need help myself is self-indulgent and selfish. But when I did, again I got unconditional love and support. A week or so later and I was on the mend. Yes, I remain on medication, but it is about maintenance. Others take statins, I take SSRIs. I also ride my bike, meditate, write, grow and make things, and spend time helping others. When I get the proportions right, this is a therapeutic mix.

It is a privilege to be there for people experiencing suicidal thoughts and feelings, or who are actively planning suicide. I know I have been dealt a more privileged hand than many, and I am in awe of the courage and fortitude people show in deciding either to keep going in the face of horrific challenges and experiences, or in reaching a decision that is the hardest anyone can make. Grassroots and Samaritans believe in self-determination. At Samaritans our entire purpose is about preventing suicide by giving people a kind and confidential place to share how they feel. We do not judge those who decide to take their own lives. We know that careful listening and compassion at such a time can help even those in the darkest places to find a reason for living after all. And at Grassroots, we believe that in reducing the stigma of suicide and helping friends, neighbours and work colleagues to develop understanding and skills, we can help save more lives. Our training is based on the best international evidence. It works.

Suicide can be an impulsive act by someone not in their right mind. It can also be carefully thought out and planned. Suicide casts a long shadow, not just on those nearest and dearest, but also on professional carers and volunteers who may have done all they can to keep the person alive. Samaritans and Cruse have recently started support groups for people bereaved by suicide. This work is much needed; although suicide has not been a crime since the 1960s, there is sadly still fear and stigma associated with such a death. It can be the most difficult of losses.

So given the complex sadness and what-ifs that accompany a death by suicide, and the guilt and shame felt by people like me who occasionally find ourselves thinking about it, may I ask for your help please? If you hear someone describing a mass murderer as a “suicide bomber” in future, please show them this. And please ask them to choose their words more carefully and reserve the suicide word for those times when it befits the anguish of the person considering it.

These days I usually introduce myself as a writer, coach and mental health campaigner. Sometimes I say I’m a charity trustee. I might talk about Grassroots Suicide Prevention and how we help to save lives by training people in mental health awareness and suicide prevention techniques. Or the Mary Seacole Trust and that now we have achieved a beautiful statue to the first named black woman in the UK, we intend to smash the glass ceiling that still holds back the careers in business and in public life of women and, even more so, BME people. Occasionally I mention my voluntary work with Time to Change, or that I am training as a Samaritan. And I might say that I love writing fiction, cryptic crosswords, cycling, making jam, Brighton and Hove Albion FC, the Archers, and my family and friends.

Only if relevant do I refer to my 41 year NHS career as a nurse and health visitor, then manager. I prefer not to be defined by what I used to do. I don’t want to live my life in retrospect. I may be over 60, but I feel I have so much more to do and give.

However, for the purposes of today, I need to explain that I was chief executive of a mental health trust in Sussex for 13 years, from 2001 – 2014. And now I am a recovering chief executive. I have Professor Sir Simon Wessely, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists to thank for that description. And he is right; it describes me well. I have been writing a book about my experiences. I thought I had finished it. But then a few things happened and now I’m less sure. Nonetheless, I have insights I want to share with you.

The main one is this: please don’t do what I did as far as looking after yourself is concerned. I didn’t always make a good job of it. And it wasn’t only me who suffered.

It started with that over-developed sense of responsibility that many of us who choose a career in healthcare seem to have. We are often the first child in the family. If not, we are the one who looks after our siblings, even our parents. In my case, I was also the only girl. Being caring and helpful was expected, and the best way to evoke praise.

People with certain personality preferences have a tendency to choose a career in a caring profession. Another tendency of those with these profiles, and I am one, is to find it hard to say no. We also tend to take criticism personally, we can be overwhelmed by setbacks, and we can experience guilt more readily than those with other profiles. We are also find it very hard to tell others when we are not OK. None of this is set in stone, of course. They are only tendencies; one can learn to modify one’s responses.

The classic personality profiles for people in senior leadership roles are different. They tend to be confident go-getters, driven by vision, analysis and logic rather than feelings of responsibility. They like making decisions, challenging others and being challenged themselves. And so the tendency of leaders who do not fit such a profile is to try to act as though they do. And to pretend not to mind things that they actually mind very much.

I struggled a bit as a student nurse. But once qualified, I got huge satisfaction from clinical practice. I loved helping people, especially those down on their luck. I always will.

I eventually moved into management via a series of lucky accidents.I had no long-term plan to become a chief executive, even a director. It just happened. I fell in love with the trust I eventually ran because of a chance meeting with some adults with learning disabilities who I had known as children many years previously. Their care wasn’t terrible. But it could have been so much better. And then a senior colleague told me that mental health services were a backwater and that if I took such a job, I would never escape to do anything else. And that was it really; I was hooked.

For the most part, it was wonderful for me to be able to influence the care received by people who were usually at the bottom of the pile, to challenge stigma and discrimination locally and also nationally, to be busy and in demand, and to have the opportunity to work with a bright, engaged team I had the good fortune to build from scratch. Whilst we were all different, we each cared deeply about providing care that we would be happy to receive ourselves or for a member of our own family to receive. And when the care we provided failed, we minded very much and did whatever we could to put it right.

But I also got some things wrong. I can ignore details if they don’t tell me what I want to see or hear. And I wanted every project to go well. So I sometimes reacted badly when not all of them did. I was often overwhelmed by self doubt and imposter syndrome. I had sleepless nights, especially after incidents when things went wrong for patients. I felt very lonely at such times, but I didn’t feel I could tell anyone – I thought I had to tough it out. And this was counterproductive because trying so hard to appear competent made me less approachable to others who were also struggling.

I also wanted my team to be one happy, harmonious family. Without breaking any confidences, I would overreact to disagreements and try to play the peacemaker when what we needed was more discussion and debate. It took me a long time to realise that I had assumed the role of parent or older sister, when a more adult to adult relationship would have served us better. I am grateful to those who persuaded me eventually to see this – we got there in the end.

Although suicide amongst those using mental health services accounts for only a quarter of such deaths, it is, very sadly, not an infrequent occurrence. It took me a long time to admit to myself that the reason I found it so distressing was because I knew something of how desperate those who took that step must have been feeling. And even longer to admit it to others. Although I worked hard not to show it, I found it almost unbearable to be criticised by regulators or via the media for failing to stop someone from taking their own life. I felt guilty both that we had failed, and that I wasn’t always successful in defending the efforts of the staff, who had often kept the person concerned safe for many years and were themselves also devastated. I also know that the effort of hiding my own distress sometimes made me less sensitive to theirs.

Risk assessment, of which much is made these days, is an imprecise science. Some believe it has no scientific validity in preventing suicide or homicide by someone who is mentally ill. And yet people lose their jobs, even their careers, over not applying it correctly. They are judged by those privileged to look at the full facts of a case at leisure, with the benefit of hindsight. Rather than under pressure in real time in a busy hospital or clinic or on a difficult home visit. And without enough of the right resources. Families can be led to believe, sometimes erroneously, that a chance event that has changed their lives forever might somehow have been predicted or prevented, and that someone must therefore have been at fault. Unless NHS staff have erred deliberately or been recklessly careless, it is seldom the right thing to do to blame them, whether they are a junior nurse or a very senior manager. It is cruel and reductive and unlikely to bring about positive change. In fact it is likely to make people fearful and to drive poor practice underground.

I am extremely grateful to those who helped me to understand a more nuanced way of thinking about suicide, especially to Dr Alys Cole-King of Connecting with People, my friends at Grassroots Suicide Prevention, and Samaritans. I also thank John Ballatt and Penny Campling, whose book Intelligent Kindness enabled me to understand what was wrong with the traditional NHS approach to serious incidents, as well as a few other things. And to the Point of Care Foundation, whose outstanding work helps professionals to nurture their compassion and non-judgemental curiosity, despite the challenges of today’s NHS.

Some people reading this know that I saw my first psychiatrist aged 15, and have been troubled off and on with anxiety and depression throughout my life. I am still trying to make sense of why i felt so ashamed of this for so long, and how I managed to get through 12 of my 13 years as a chief executive of a mental health trust without blowing my cover. All I can say is that I am well-practised at pretending to be OK when I am not.

I eventually began to talk about it the year before I retired as my personal contribution to reducing stigma. It was even more painful than I had expected. I felt exposed and brittle. I couldn’t sleep or think straight. I was forgetful, jumpy and irritable and my judgement went downhill. I wondered if I was going mad, and in a way I was. I had such terrible stomach pains that I thought I might die. It would honestly have been a relief. And then I started to cry, and couldn’t stop. Driving home, I nearly crashed the car on purpose into the central reservation. It was only the thought of the fuss it would cause for others that stopped me. For the next 8 weeks I huddled in the dark. Slowly the kindness of my GP and psychiatrist and that of my family, closest friend and work colleagues made me realise that perhaps I wasn’t the worthless pile of ordure I had thought I was.

Although I will let you into a secret; it wasn’t until I had been back at work a few months and had undergone a course of therapy that I finally accepted that I hadn’t been faking my latest bout of depression. And that I wasn’t the selfish, lazy, waste-of-space I was called by a nurse when I made an attempt on my own life many years earlier. His words stayed with me because I agreed with him.

If speaking up was hard, going back to work in January 2014 was harder. But it was also part of my recovery. It felt liberating to be able to be open about why I had been off. I found conversations with clinicians, managers and most of all patients were deeper and more meaningful. I was a better listener, and I wasn’t rushing to solve everything, as had been my wont. I found that I could listen properly to criticism, and appreciate what the other person was trying to say without feeling the need to defend the trust or myself. My final eight months before retiring in the summer as planned were the happiest of my whole 13 years.

If you have the sort of tendencies I have, here are five tips from me to help you take care of yourself.

When something goes wrong and you or those for whom you are responsible make a mistake, try not to be disheartened. Allow yourself time to process what happened and why. Apologise wholeheartedly. But do not be rushed into snap decisions. Treat yourself and your team as a work in progress.

When someone offers you criticism, try hard not to be devastated by it. But also try not to reject it out-of-hand. Take it for what it is, just an opinion that may or may not be useful.

Don’t pretend to be someone or something that you are not. It is exhausting.

Exercise is important, and so is eating well. But sleep is healing. We all need it or we can’t function. If you are having trouble sleeping, then you deserve some help. This advice from Mind is a good starting point.

Remember that being kind to yourself is not selfish. It is actually extremely unselfish. Because it is only through being kind to yourself that you can truly be kind to others.

It was Carl Jung who initially wrote about the wounded healer. There is nothing wrong with being motivated to help others partly because one has issues oneself; such experiences can help the care giver to be more empathetic. But if we truly care about others, as I have learned at great cost, it is very important that we do not pretend to be OK when we are not.

Because, as Karl Rogers, a successor of Jung said: what I am is good enough if I would only be it openly.

Thank you for opening this. You probably won’t feel up to reading much. So I need to grab your attention.

I want to tell you something. I have been where you are. I have felt that my life wasn’t worth living. Sometimes I knew why; mostly I didn’t. It has happened a number of times over many years. I have contemplated suicide. I even tried to take my life. But I’m very glad to be here because otherwise I couldn’t write to you now.

Making an admission about feeling suicidal isn’t easy. It can be shocking to face, for you and others. But also you don’t want people to overreact. You just want to be able to talk. And yet the chances are, you won’t have spoken to anyone about it. You may feel ashamed, as I once did. And still do, on a bad day.

Distress of this sort is overwhelming. Especially if you keep it bottled up. It blocks out the sun. Yes, it is different for each of us, because we are all different. But what makes us similar is the awfulness of it. Lying awake for hour after endless hour, whether alone or next to someone you can’t talk to about the darkness of your thoughts. Everything seems pointless. You worry about stuff you used not to worry about. And the big things that were worrying you already are overwhelming. You feel loathsome, undeserving and useless.

So what might have helped me when I was where you are right now?

It would have helped if I had managed to talk to a loved one or a friend. Eventually I have learned how to do this, although I still find it hard. I have been surprised by the kindness and understanding shown. Suicide is still taboo for some, but less than it was. And talking can really help.

I called Samaritans a few times, from a phone box – there were no mobile phones in those days and I didn’t want to be overheard. They were amazing. They weren’t shocked and they listened really carefully. Nowadays calls to Samaritans are free so you don’t need credit. Ring 116 123 anytime, day or night, and talk to a trained volunteer.

A hospital nurse once told me that I was a cowardly, selfish waste-of-space who had taken him away from looking after people who were really ill. I believed that nurse. And that was how I saw myself for many years. I wish I had instead remembered what a kind GP said when I apologised for bothering him, which was that I was worth the effort.

I wish could have had a smart phone installed with the #StayAlive app by Grassroots Suicide Prevention for androids or iPhones. As well as useful information, advice and support, it encourages you to store reminders of how you feel on a good day, and keep special pictures and notes in one place. Now I look at mine most weeks. It makes me feel safe.

Learning to be kind to oneself can be a lifelong project. But if you aren’t kind to yourself, it is much harder to be kind to other people. For that reason, it is a generous and thoughtful thing to do. Rather than a self-centred indulgence, as I once believed.

Thank you for reading this. I hope it helped a bit. And if it didn’t, it doesn’t matter.

This week has been Mental Health Awareness Week. I’ve written three articles, visited a friend, given a talk, attended a party and been on a bike ride.

There’s been some other more difficult stuff which I don’t feel able to write about just now. More anon.

I wrote this piece about the loss of Sally Brampton through depression and what is assumed to have been suicide.

Suicide casts a long, cold shadow. My heart goes out to all who have lost someone that way. And to all who have tried to keep them safe. There is sometimes talk of failure in such circumstances. I fully understand why. But it can be cruel and destructive to those left behind. It can affect the grieving process and have terrible repercussions. I decided a while ago to devote some of my time to being a volunteer in suicide prevention. This work can of course be distressing. But is so worthwhile. If more people were involved in understanding about suicide, it would improve compassion and more lives might be saved. Blame doesn’t save anyone. If anything, it can have the opposite effect.

On Monday I popped up to Rugby to see the lovely Gill Phillips and learn more about the groundbreaking work she does through her company @WhoseShoes. Gill had a special birthday this week – now she’s nearly as old as me! I love the way that this entrepreneurial woman has started a new adventure. I hope I can support Gill to bring Whose Shoes to the world of mental health. Go us!

Just Giving asked me to write this list of ideas to help people to manage their own mental health. It’s been fun watching the list grow throughout the week, and hearing comments from unlikely places about the tips. I just curated the list – none of them were invented by me. I try to follow them, not always successfully.

And I wrote this piece called Serendipity for NHS Employers. It was also Equality and Human Rights week. It was serendipitous to bring two things together that matter very much to me but which I hadn’t realised before had so much in common. I’ve had some useful feedback. It has sparked conversations about how we can use Mary Seacole’s legacy to inspire young people not just to dream, but to work hard and not be deterred by setbacks from achieving their ambitions.

One of my ambitions is to see the top of the NHS become less white and less male. Nothing against you guys, but as it says in my blog, the way things are now just isn’t representative. And having an unrepresentative leadership breeds alienation and resentment which has a negative impact on services.

On Thursday afternoon I spoke at a Brighton Housing Trust Health and Wellbeing Service event (photo above). I was invited there to inspire the women with my experiences of being a high profile woman who is also open about my own mental illness. But to be honest, it was they who inspired me. I heard some stories I will never forget. I want everyone to know what we agreed, which is that people who live with mental illness have assets to share. Rather than deficits to avoid or accommodate. I’m going to be returning to this theme in the future.

I was at the beautiful Black Cultural Archive in Brixton on Thursday evening at a comedy night with a purpose – to thank all the ambassadors and trustees who have spent 12 long years raising money for the Mary Seacole Statue. That’s me with our brilliant and indefatigable Vice Chair Professor Elizabeth Anionwu CBE. Mary’s statue goes up in six weeks – much more about this soon.

And on Friday I was out cycle training with my friend Sally who is joining me on Ride 100 on 31st July when we will be raising money for Samaritans. You’ll be hearing a lot more about that shortly. Suffice to say, after doing 20 miles of hills, including the notorious Box Hill (twice) we felt pretty smug 🙂